Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the sixth main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and the eleventh entry overall. Set in the fictional Liberty City, based on New York City, the single-player story follows Eastern European war veteran Niko Bellic and his attempts to escape his past while under pressure from high-profile criminals. The open world design lets players freely roam Liberty City, consisting of four boroughs across three islands, and the neighbouring state of Alderney, which is based on New Jersey.
The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on foot and by vehicle. Throughout the single-player mode, players control Niko Bellic. An online multiplayer mode is also included with the game, allowing up to 32 players to engage in both cooperative and competitive gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting. Two expansion packs were later released for the game, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, which both feature new plots that are interconnected with the main Grand Theft Auto IV storyline, and follow new protagonists.
Development of Grand Theft Auto IV began soon after the release of San Andreas and was shared between many of Rockstar's studios worldwide. The game introduced a shift to a more realistic and detailed style and tone for the series. Unlike previous entries, Grand Theft Auto IV lacked a strong cinematic influence, as the team attempted an original approach to the story. As part of their research for the open world, the development team conducted extensive field research in New York, capturing over 100,000 photographs and several hours of video. The developers considered the world to be the most important element of the game; though not the largest map in the series, they considered it comparable in scope due to its verticality and level of detail. The budget climbed to over, making it one of the most expensive video games to develop.
Grand Theft Auto IV was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles in April 2008, and for Windows in December. It received critical acclaim, with praise directed at the narrative and open-world design. Grand Theft Auto IV broke industry sales records and became the fastest-selling entertainment product in history at the time, earning in its first day and in its first week. Considered one of the most significant titles of the seventh generation of video games, and by many critics as one of the greatest video games of all time, it won year-end accolades, including Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications. It is among the best-selling video games with over 25 million copies sold by 2013. The game generated controversy, with criticism directed at the game's depiction of violence and players' ability to drive drunk. Its successor, Grand Theft Auto V, was released in 2013.
Gameplay
Grand Theft Auto IV is an action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective. Players complete missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story. It is possible to have several active missions running at one time, as some require players to wait for further instructions or events. Outside of missions, players can freely roam the game's open world and complete optional side missions. Composed of the fictional city of Liberty City, the world is larger in area than most earlier Grand Theft Auto series entries. At the beginning of the game, players can only explore a limited area—Bohan, Broker, and Dukes—with all other islands unlocking as the story progresses.Players use melee attacks, firearms and explosives to fight enemies, and may run, jump, swim or use vehicles to navigate the game's world. There is a first-person perspective option when using vehicles. In combat, auto-aim and a cover system can be used as assistance against enemies. Should players take damage, their health meter can regenerate by consuming food or drinks, using medical kits, or calling for paramedics. If players commit crimes, law enforcement may respond as indicated by a "wanted" meter in the head-up display. On the meter, a count of stars indicates the current wanted level. Gaining more stars will cause law enforcement to incapacitate players more aggressively and extends the wanted vicinity area, and is capped at six stars. The player can evade police by travelling outside the wanted vicinity area, after this the wanted meter enters a cool-down mode, law enforcement hunt for the player, and eventually recedes when they are hidden from the officers' line of sight.
The game's cover system allows players to move between obstacles, to fire blindly, aim freely, and target a specific enemy. Individual body parts can also be targeted. Melee attacks include additional moves, such as dodging, blocking, disarming an opponent and counter-attacking. Body armour can be used to absorb gunshots and explosive damage, but is used up in the process. When health is entirely depleted, gameplay stops, and players respawn at the nearest hospital.
The single-player mode lets players control an Eastern European war veteran, Niko Bellic. During the story, Niko meets and befriends various new characters. While free roaming the game world, players may engage in context-specific activities such as bowling or darts, either alone or with friends. Other available activities include a vigilante mini-game, and in-game television programming. Hanging out, answering calls, or completing missions of friends will increase that friend's respect. If their respect is high enough, the player can unlock favours; for example, Niko's cousin Roman owns a taxi service, and can send one of his cabs to take Niko to any destination without a fee. Cabs are always available during gameplay for quick travel to a destination. Throughout the course of the game, players are also faced with morality choices, which alter the storyline appropriately depending on the player's choice. Niko has a cell phone for contacting friends and hanging out with them through activities. The cell phone is also used to access the game's online multiplayer mode, and to enter cheat codes. To access the in-game Internet, which allows Niko to send and receive emails and set up prospective dates with potential girlfriends, Niko can use Internet cafés located around the city. The game also features a subway system, allowing players to quickly traverse through the game's world.
The online multiplayer mode for Grand Theft Auto IV allows up to 32 players to freely roam across the map. Players decide which game mode they wish to play, including deathmatches and street races. Both cooperative and competitive game modes are available, split into ranked and unranked matches. For players to level up through ranks, in-game money has to be earned. The game also features a Free Mode, in which players have the entire map open to explore, with no end goal or mission to complete. Hosts of the game can control many variables, such as police presence, traffic, and weapons. The multiplayer mode was discontinued on Windows in 2020.
Synopsis
Setting
Grand Theft Auto IV takes place within an alternate version of Liberty City seen in Grand Theft Auto III. The design of the city focuses on a recreation of four of the boroughs of New York City: Broker, Dukes, Bohan, and Algonquin. The setting also includes the neighbouring state of Alderney. In the story, it is explained that bridges are locked down due to a terrorist threat, and police constantly pursue players if the bridges are crossed. These barricades are lifted as the player progresses the story, allowing them to traverse uninterrupted between islands.Grand Theft Auto IV is set in the fictional "HD Universe", which mirrors and parodies the real world. The previous games formed fictional universes of their own, which despite having many similarities with the HD Universe, are considered to be different continuities. Hence, the Liberty City depicted in Grand Theft Auto IV is different from its previous renditions, and the game itself serves as a reboot for the series. The new timeline established by Grand Theft Auto IV continues with two expansion packs, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, and a sequel, Grand Theft Auto V, as well as its online component, Grand Theft Auto Online. The handheld game Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is also considered part of the HD Universe because it features the same map as Grand Theft Auto IV, except for Alderney.
Plot
Niko Bellic, an Eastern European ex-soldier, arrives in Liberty City aboard the cargo ship Platypus to escape his criminal past, pursue the American Dream, and search for a man who betrayed his unit to an ambush ten years prior. Reuniting with his cousin Roman, he discovers that the stories of riches and success he was told of were embellished. Instead of living a life of luxury with nice cars and pretty women, Roman lives in a small, dirty apartment, owns an unprofitable taxi company, has gambling debts, and often disputes with loan sharks. Niko begins assisting Roman with his problems and makes criminal contacts in the city. He befriends Yardies second-in-command Little Jacob and is forced to work for Vlad Glebov, Roman's Russian loan shark. Niko eventually kills Vlad upon learning he had slept with Roman's girlfriend, Mallorie.In retaliation, Niko and Roman are kidnapped by Russian mobsters on orders of their boss Mikhail Faustin and his lieutenant, Dimitri Rascalov. Indifferent to Vlad's murder, Faustin releases them and employs Niko as a hitman, ordering him to kill the son of Russian crime lord Kenny Petrović. When Petrović threatens retaliation, Dimitri persuades Niko to assassinate Faustin and satisfy Petrović. However, Dimitri betrays him after the killing and brings Niko to his former employer, Ray Bulgarin, who accuses him of stealing from him during a failed human trafficking job years earlier. Niko denies the allegation and a firefight ensues, allowing Dimitri and Bulgarin to escape.
Dimitri's men burn down Niko and Roman's apartment and taxi company, forcing them to flee to Bohan. While Niko finds work with several local drug lords, Dimitri briefly kidnaps Roman in a failed attempt to lure Niko into a trap. Later, Niko discovers that his romantic interest, a woman named Michelle, is an undercover government agent who then entraps him into working for her superior. In exchange for the murders of known or suspected terrorists, the superior clears Niko's criminal record and aids him with seeking Niko's traitor. Roman receives a large amount of insurance money from the arson, which he uses to rebuild the business and buy an apartment in Algonquin. Roman also proposes to Mallorie, who accepts.
While working for the Irish Mob, Niko befriends gangster Patrick "Packie" McReary, helping him and his brothers carry out various jobs, including a major bank robbery. Niko is later hired by Ray Boccino, a caporegime in the Pegorino crime family, to oversee a diamond deal, which goes awry. Boccino repays Niko by helping him find his ex-comrade Florian Cravic, now known as Bernie Crane, who claims he was not the one to betray their unit. Niko realises that the traitor was Darko Brevic, the only other survivor. Niko continues working for the Mafia and earns the trust of Don Jimmy Pegorino, who orders him to kill Boccino after suspecting him of being a police informant. Niko also helps Packie kidnap Don Giovanni Ancelotti's daughter to ransom her for the diamonds, but Bulgarin intercepts the exchange. In the ensuing firefight, the diamonds are lost.
Eventually, government agents find Darko in Romania and bring him to Liberty City for Niko to decide his fate. Afterwards, Niko is summoned by Pegorino for a final favour: to help with a highly lucrative heroin deal in collusion with Dimitri. Learning Dimitri is aboard the Platypus, Niko must decide to either work with Dimitri or exact revenge. If Niko agrees to the deal, Dimitri betrays him again, kills Pegorino, and sends an assassin to kill him at Roman's wedding, but the assassin accidentally kills Roman instead; Niko retaliates by tracking and murdering Dimitri. If Niko chooses revenge, he kills Dimitri, prompting Pegorino to target him at Roman's wedding but accidentally kill Packie's sister Kate, whom Niko had been dating; Niko tracks and murders Pegorino. In both endings, Niko learns that Mallorie is pregnant.